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American Sign Language:  own

"OWN" is an interesting sign that doesn't show up in many printed ASL dictionaries.
The sign for "own" can be done several ways depending on your context.



The general version of the sign for "own" starts in a handshape that is similar to what you'd use to unscrew a light-bulb and changes into a flattened "O" hand.  The location changes from a couple inches in front of the chest to actually touching the chest.  Believe it or not, this sign actually started out as the fingerspelled letters O-W-N. At one time there was an "English" sign that consisted of tapping the thumb side of an "O" hand against the chest twice.  Somewhere along the line it seems those two signs got combined and the handshapes blended.

OWN:



Here is the sign OWN, frame by frame. In the last frame, the flat of my thumbnail is against my chest.  At the end, the fingerprint pad of my thumb is touching the pads of my index and middle fingers.



 




Another way to indicate ownership is to use the sign "MYSELF."  The sign "MYSELF" can be used for the concept of "my own."


"my-own" / "on my own" =
MYSELF


 



The concept of "have" can also be used to mean "own."


HAVE:

 


See: HAVE



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